And now for some GOOD news: Prescription strength chocolate

[trof]

BILTHOVEN, The Netherlands, Feb. 28 - A nice cup of hot cocoa, or the equivalent in a chocolate bar, has been associated with reduced blood pressure for older men in Holland and a reduced risk of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality.

The data came from an analysis of 470 men (ages 65 to 84) in the Zutphen Elderly Study, all free of chronic disease at baseline. One-third of the men did not use cocoa or its products at baseline; a second tertile consumed 0.92 g/d, and for the highest group cocoa consumption was 4.18 g/d, the researchers reported in the Feb. 27 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. The men were studied from 1985 to 1995 with follow-up through year 2000. Most of the cocoa came from plain chocolate and chocolate bars. Drinking cocoa and eating chocolate candy and desserts provided smaller amounts.

"To our knowledge, this is the first epidemiological study to report an inverse relationship of cocoa intake with blood pressure and cardiovascular and all-cause mortality," said Brian Buijsse, M.Sc., and colleagues at the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment here.
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/DietNutrition/tb/2758

After more than 30 years of twice yearly FAA flight physicals with blood pressure at a solid 120/80 (normal) I have recently developed hypertension (high blood pressure). Now I'm on a prescription drug, but have been researching over-the-counter supplements and herbals.

Now THIS is something I could do!
A Hershey bar a day keeps the doctor away?
;-)

[trof]

1. I guess "If it bleeds, it leads." Nobody wants to hear good news.

:-(

[brook]

2. Yup.

I heard that report this morning and stopped after work. The huge Hershey bars were on sale. Serendipity.

I have a doctor appoinment Friday where he's gonna push hbp meds on me. Again. I've been saying "No thanks" for over a year.I'm very skeptical of most meds. Besides, I prefer chocolate.

[trof]

6. Been doing some research on the web.

About hbp and supplementals/herbals.
I started a thread about it a few days ago, asking if anyone had tried anything like that, as opposed to prescription drugs. It got locked immediately. "Asking for medical advice".
Took it up with admin and lost.
:-(

I've seen threads about rosacea(?), wisdom teeth, psoriasis, lower back pain, diabetes, etc.
All in the line of "I'm doing this, what are you doing?"

I wish that I could also take advantage of the wealth of knowledge and personal experience here, but evidently hbp crosses some kind of line.

I'd tell you what I've learned, but I guess that would get this locked too, if it hasn't already.

[brook]

18. I saw that.

Like you, I was flummoxed by the lock. I have been fighting indiscrimate prescribing of questionable drugs for a long time. I take CoQ10 - my doctor has no interest or knowledge of it. I do know that it helps me do the work I need to do each day and the days I don't take it is all the proof I need.

I do have an axe to grind - in the interest of full disclosure - my Dad died at age 70 after a doctor who had the "you're old-so must-be-dying" attitude misdiagnosed him.(I had an autopsy done because the nurses told me his death was 'unnecessary'. I can tell you, that leaves you angry as hell in a nowhere place. Neither my brother or mother would entertain the idea of legal action. I was so devasted the next couple of years were not worth disclosing. I went through my mother's illness & death with the same dammned doctors 3 years later. I was able to use my hard-earned knowledge to make her last days a lot better than Dad's had been.

I apologize for this -it's not an easy thing for me to talk about.

[trof]

19. No apologies, Brook.

Thanks for your input.
I'm having a similar problem.
I won't go into the details, but I now have zero confidence in my current doctor. I've talked the situation over with some physician friends (unhappily, they're all retired now) and they agree that I need a new doc.

The search begins.
:-(

[momophile]

3. I told my hubbie about this and he was happy...

too bad the study didn't include women. Maybe I'll just assume it's the same for women.

[Lisa]

4. look for the types with the highest % of cocoa ...

It should be listed on the bar. Ideally, 70% or more (more likely to be European than American), dark chocolate, not milk. The 55-60% type is cheaper, but doesn't have as many of the antioxidants.

Our local grocer has started stocking Black and Green's 72% Organic Cooking Chocolate -- though I had to get used to the taste (smokier and not as smooth as Lindt, for example).

[trof]

8. Thanks for the info.

I'll see if I can find it.

[Lisa]

12. some more links

http://www.ynhh.org/online/nutrition/advisor/chocolate.html
"Waterhouse also found that the darker the chocolate, the more phenols it contains. Darker and finer chocolates contain 70 percent cocoa butter, which provides the stearic acid. Most commercial candy bars contain only 20 percent cocoa butter. The conclusion is the purer and darker chocolates may provide the most health benefits."

http://www.newstarget.com/006754.html
"Researchers concluded that chocolates containing higher amounts of cocoa ingredients have higher procyanidin contents, therefore, higher antioxidant capacities."

http://www.mercola.com/2004/jun/16/chocolate_health.htm
"Because the standard manufacturing of chocolate eliminates as much as half of its flavonoids, some firms have lowered heat and alkalization that preserves up to 95 percent of chocolate flavonoids. The study also suggested eating chocolate with at least a 70 percent cocoa content, in moderation, can be beneficial in conjunction with exercise and a healthy diet."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/04/050421234416.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/10/011024073452.htm

[trof]

13. MANY THANKS, Lisa.

This is what I'm talking about.
There's so much good info available here from our DUers.

[hippiechick]

5. Sign me up for effectiveness trials!

YUM!

[trof]

9. Rx: One Hershey Bar, twice daily.

Need not be taken with food.

[trof]

7. Throwing caution to the winds:

Internet research shows that garlic pills and coenzyme Q-10 could lower blood pressure.
Repeat "could".
Went to Vitamin World today and got both.
Relatively inexpensive compared to the prescription stuff.
If I'm allowed to, I'll keep you posted on the results.

[hippiechick]

10. Next up: Garlic flavored chocolate bars!

All the antioxidants a body could want !! :puke:

[Orsino]

11. I suspect that they're missing a control factor.

The kind of person who sits to enjoy a cup of cocoa is gonna be more relaxed, period.

But I'll do my part to fight hypertension.

[trof]

14. You could have something there.

:shrug:

[Orsino]

15. As with the red wine studies, maybe? n/t

[Left Is Write]

16. Sylvia Fine was ahead of the pack in the last season of The Nanny.

She claimed her bag of candy was "prescription dark chocolate." ;)

[XemaSab]

17. K&R

[RebelOne]

20. OK, good news for men, but what about women?

Is it beneficial for them also?